The Hindu 12.04.2013
Civic body finalises locations of 10 kindergarten sections
The Chennai Corporation has identified the areas where 10 new kindergarten (KG) sections will come up in schools.
It
is now in the process of finalising the schools. The areas identified
are Tiruvottiyur High Road, Arthoon Road, Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar
(Pulianthope), Ayanavaram, Arumbakkam, Kamdar Nagar, Triplicane High
Road, Puliyur, Maduvankarai and M.G.R. Nagar (K.K. Nagar).
The
proposal to add KG sections in 10 Chennai Schools was announced in the
Corporation budget this year. The sections will be added to Chennai
Primary Schools attached to Chennai middle, high and higher secondary
schools.
“There is a lot of demand for KG classes,
and this way we can work with students from the beginning,” a senior
official said. It is also being viewed as a means to increase enrolment.
“Parents
enrol children in private schools that have kindergarten sections
because they can continue up to class 12 in the same school,” the
official said.
Most of the schools under
consideration are attached to high and higher secondary schools that
have English-medium sections, an official said. Such schools should have
adequate space (two classrooms) and, ideally, be located close to a
balwadi
which can act as a feeder. The official said a resolution finalising the
10 schools was likely to be passed in this month’s council meeting.
As
in the existing KG sections in 30 Chennai schools, which have a
combined strength of around 3,000, there will be at least one classroom
with Montessori ambience, the official said.
Teachers
would be a mix of redistribution from existing kindergarten schools and
contractual appointments, preferably Montessori-trained. Currently,
teachers are being taken on board on a contractual basis for arts, music
and physical education, the official said.
While 70
per cent of students admitted in class I come with kindergarten
education, the rest usually start afresh as pre-primary education is not
a pre-requisite at the time of admitting a child.
An
official said they would also incorporate best practices observed
during their recent visit to schools run by the Pune Municipal
Corporation.
Four headmasters and six teachers along
with the joint commisioner (education), Chennai Corporation, went on the
visit organised by Teach for India.
“Among other aspects, we are looking at the diaries and uniforms of the Pune schools,” the official said.
Only 70% of students admitted in class I have kindergarten education.